Heaps of time has gone by, but after an 11-day tour around the South Island it's official that NZ is still pulling out all the stops. Life on the road is a "box of birds" (as the Kiwis say - meaning I'm on top of the world) - and for many a good reason, including the fact that by some freak of nature, our car survived the trek.

Mt. Sefton...day 11.

Here's a quick run-down of the trip... (more pics to come later...)

Days 1 & 2: Head over to the West Coast to partake in some ice-climbing at Fox Glacier. Wicked good time was had sporting crampons and ice axes as we traversed up the azure blue walls and through the ice caves of this Glacier (which by the way is the third largest in NZ, is surrounded by a rainforest, and sits at an elevation of just 200 feet...impressive).

Day 3: Cruise up West Coast. rains heaps (to be expected in a place that measures its annual rain fall in meters). stop in random towns and tourist traps to stretch the legs. At this point, we're still enjoying our music selection for the long drives ahead. We've also found a new favorite pastime in honking at sheep. they run. Arrive in Nelson on the tip of the South Island that night, feeling like we're truly in Paradise...as it is warm, complete with palm trees and pools with fountains. (yes, even the backpackers we camped at had a pool...a rare sight for cheap travellers!)

Day 4: Day Hike in the Marlborough Sounds. Flying by the seat of our pants and taking advantage of the amazing weather, we cruised through mountain passes jamming out to Bob Marley and Yonder Mountain - windows down, sunnies on. The Marlborough Sounds are amazing as mountains rise out of the sea. It is here that we diverted from our typical PB&J lunch combo for a nice sidewalk cafe. ahh, the simple pleasures in life.

Day 5: Awoke to a bitter cold morning on Kaiteriteri Beach near Abel Tasman National Park (yes, there was frost on our car...). Accordingly, the chill dudes from whom we rented sea kayaks from were quite surprised that we planned to head out on a 3 day sea-kayaking/camping adventure in the area. But seals called our names.

Days 5-7: Yes, our independent sea kayaking trip in Abel Tasman National Park was none other than spectacular. A real cruisy time it was just paddling in and out of crystal clear lagoons that rival the Cayman Islands. We camped on amazing beaches, had great weather, sat underneath stars and around campfires, all topped off with a full moon. What's more, the campsite warden spotted us an extra bottle of sparkling (yes, sparkling) white wine. Talk about hospitality from the Department of Conservation. A second favorite pastime was picked up in Abel Tasman - hunting for views of seals. And they were everywhere! By the third day, our hunting abilities were so fine-tuned that we found heaps of baby seals in a lagoon...they swam right along side, under and around our boat, taking time-outs to gnaw on our paddles. Sea World pales in comparison to this experience.

Day 8: Bicycle Tour of the Vineyards in Marlbourough. First off, biking through round-abouts in a foreign country is quite the task. After safely getting out of town and getting over the fact that we did in fact look quite stupid in our bubble-shaped helmets, we arrived in vineyard country - home of the Sauvignon Blanc. From tasting to tasting, Brittany and I learned a thing or two about wine (and how to make awkward conversation with middle-aged women who knew you weren't about to buy a bottle of wine...little did they know we were tourists well-prepared to make the purchase!) Other tasters were quite friendly (and generous). Highlights of this day included a trip to the Prenzel tasting room (schnapps and liqeurs), our amazing lunch at the winery, and Brittany taking a digger on her bike right in town. hilarious.

Day 9: Coastal drive through Kaikoura, onward to Lake Tekapo. By this point, we're grateful that the car is still running (though we have no idea how). Kaikoura is an amazing coastal town where snow-capped peaks rise out of the sea - a surfer's paradise. We cruised around a bend in the road, absolutely taken aback by the rise of these mountains out of nowhere. Spent most of the day driving, which wasn't half bad seeing as the highway followed the ocean's edge. Arrived in Lake Tekapo (a teal blue glacial lake with mountainous backdrop) and camped at the most high security motor camp I've ever seen. Seriously, you needed an electronic swipe card to pass the gates into the park (i guess there was no chance of our tent getting stolen. ha). rained cats and dogs that night.

Days 10 & 11: Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park - Mueller Hut. AMAZING. Mount Cook (or Aoraki in Maori) is the highest peak in Australasia, the former stomping grounds for Sir Edmund Hillary in his pre-Everest days.

As for us, we took a slightly less challenging route (ok very less challenging) up Mt. Ollivier to the alpine accomodations of Mueller Hut. This alpine hut (built by the Department of Conservation) speaks to New Zealand's efforts to make the outdoors accessible (the hut even had electricity!). While the 3 hour stair-stepper of a climb wasn't exactly easy-going and the ice and snow were a bit dodgy at times, the climb was well worth it. At the top, one gazes at killer views of Mt. Cook as she sleeps quietly in the clouds, a pillow of snow brewing at its peak. From the hut, you could see about 6 different glaciers and equally breathtaking mountains. We even saw an avalanche across the way on Mt. Sefton. Not gonna lie, Brittany and I felt like we were in a North Face ad from time to time...especially when the winds got going at 90 km/hr later that night. After catching the sun set over Mt Cook, gazing at the southern cross amongst many other constellations and watching the sky color in as morning swept in, it became clear that this was one of the highlights of the NZ experience so far. The trek down wasn't quite as breezy seeing as one of the women staying in the hut rolled her ankle. Brittany played nurse while I tested butt-sliding paths for this UKer who did just that - slid down the mountain on her butt. It made for a slow-going afternoon, but the views kept us busy. All seven of us who stayed in the hut that night enjoyed some good food in the village before Brittany and I were once again on our way.
This time back to good ol' Dunners. Talk about a reality check coming back to the "studious" world.
All in all, the trip was amazing. I now feel like I really understand what NZ has to offer. If nothing more, the trip speaks to the diversity of the NZ landscape, the importance of the spontaneous travelling companion, and just how much one can see and do if they truly want it. word.